Southall's Organic materia medica : being a handbook treating of some of the more important of the animal and vegetable drugs made use of in medicine, including the whole of those contained in the British pharmacopoeia.

  • Southall, W. (William)
Date:
1896
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Southall's Organic materia medica : being a handbook treating of some of the more important of the animal and vegetable drugs made use of in medicine, including the whole of those contained in the British pharmacopoeia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    H E U C H E R A—Alum Root.—The root of Heuchera Americana. N.O.—Saxifragacese. Habitat.—United States. Characters.—About six inches long, half an mch thick, several-headed somewhat contorted, branched, wrinkled, tuberculate, purpHsh-brown ' mternally reddish or brownish; bark thin ; inodorous ; highly astringent and bitter. ^ Chemistry.—18-20 per cent, of tannin. Uses, etc.—As an astringent. Dose.—15-30 grains. RUMEX CRISPUS.—Yellow Dock.—The root of Rumex crispus and other species of Rumex. N.O.—Polygonaceae. * Syn—Radix lapathi. Habitat.—Europe. Characters.—From eight to twelve inches long, about half an inch thick, somewhat fusiform, fleshy, nearly simple, annulate above, deeply wrinkled below , externally rusty-brown, internally whitish, with fine, straight, interrupted reddish medullary rays, and a rather thick bark ; astringent', bitter taste ; little or no smell. Chemistry.-—Tannic acid and nimicin, which is said to be identical with chrysophanic acid. Uses, etc.—As an astringent and tonic; in large doses laxative. Dose.— 15-60 grains. The U.S.P. includes a fluid extract. METHYSTICU M.—Kava-kava.—The dried root of Piper methysticum. N .0.—Piperaceae. Habitat.—South Sea Islands. Characters.—Root large, in commerce usually cut longitudinally and transversely into irregular pieces ; light and often more or less hollow in the interior ; externally blackish-gray ; fracture farinaceous and somewhat splintery ; bark thin ; medituUium porous, with irregularly twisted wood bundles radiating near the surface. Odour slight, agreeably aromatic ; taste pungent and somewhat benumbing. Chemistry.—Volatile oil, acrid resin, kavahin (crystalline, soluble in water, tasteless), methysticine (crystalline, insoluble in water, tasteless), gum, starch, etc. Uses, etc.—Said to be much used by the Polynesians as a remedy for gonorrhoea ; they also brew from it the beverage kava, which has stimulant, diuretic and diaphoretic properties. Dese.—15-60 grains. A non-ofiicial alcoholic extract and a liquid extract are prepared from it; the former has been used as a local anaesthetic. ABRI RADIX.—Indian Liquorice.—The root of Abrus precatorius. N.O.—Leguminosse. Syyi.—Gunja, goontch. Habitat.—India. Characters.—Long and woody, about half an inch or less in diameter; externally pale reddish-brown ; internally reddish. It has a thin bark, peculiar disagreeable odour, and a bitterish acrid flavour, leaving a faintly sweet after-taste. CAm/s^r;/.—Contains sugar and probably glycyrrhizin. Uses, etc.—Official in India; has demulcent and emollient properties.